Hoverboards: Dangerous Toys

By Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S. on May 22, 2017

Emerging onto the high-tech recreational scene just a couple of years ago, hoverboards were all the rage—with consumers and in emergency rooms. That’s right: the hottest gift of the last few holiday seasons could end up sending you or your kids to the hospital with some serious injuries.

In case you didn’t know, “hoverboards,” or self-balancing scooters, are two-wheeled battery-powered devices that you ride like a sideways skateboard. To move forward, you lean forward; to move backward, you lean backward; to stop, you stand up straight. What could go wrong? Did we mention that they can travel at a clip of 10 to 12 miles per hour and be stopped by something as small as a twig or a crack in the sidewalk? Considering the possibilities for injury when riding a hoverboard, it’s not surprising that right after the first Christmas they were commercially available, doctors and emergency rooms were inundated with hoverboard casualties. Common hoverboard injuries included broken wrists (from trying to break one’s fall), concussions and other head injuries, broken elbows, scrapes, cuts, bruises, and burns. That’s right, burns. As if hoverboards weren’t hazardous enough, they also have a tendency to burst into flame. This is due to the lithium-ion batteries that power them, much like the exploding vaping devices and cell phones that have been in the news. Hoverboards have caused houses to burn down, and sent some of their inhabitants to the burn unit of their local hospital. This, of course, has lead to numerous lawsuits.

The companies that design and manufacture a product have a duty to ensure that their product is safe for the public. The distributor and the retailer have that same duty, and can also be held liable for any injuries and damages a defective product causes. If you have been injured or had property damaged by a hoverboard or similar device, you deserve compensation for your losses and pain and suffering. To find out how you can get this compensation, call the experienced Seattle personal injury attorneys at Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S., for a free consultation. Dial (888) 228-3860 today.